Tractor



TRACTOR Filed Jan. 22, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet l TRACTOR 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet3 .Bully "L17, H923.

` W. A. ARMSTRONG Filed dan. 22.

v NQ A fa'tcnted duly 17, 1923.

NlTED i STATES iasiaai PATENT carica.

WILLIAM A. ARMSTRONG, OF WAGO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO ARMSTRGNG FARM TRACTOECOMPANY, OF DALLAS, TEXAS. i

. rnac'ron.

' Application led January 22, 1921. Serial Nie. 439,213.

To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM A. ARM- STRONG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Waco', in the count of McLennan and State of Texas,have inventedpertain new and useful lm roveinents in a Tractor, f whichthe following isaspeciication. r

This invention 4relates to improvements in tractors, more particularlyto a housing of unitary construction for the transmission anddifferential mechanisms, and the invention has for its object to providea housing in a manner as hereinafter set forth to assure full andcom-plete protection for the transmission, dilerential and otherenclosed elements of the machine, and at the saine time admit of readyaccess to the interior of the housing for repair, removal, orreplacement of such parts as required without disturbing lor exposingthe parts which are not to be repaired, removed or replaced.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides inthe certain novel and useful arrangement and construction of parts aswill be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appendedclaims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a side ,elevation of a conventional form of tractor embodying ahousing in accordance with this invention,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the power transmission anddifferential mechanisins enclosed within the housing,

iF ig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line4-4s of Fig. 3.

lFi .i 5 is afraginentary View, in section, of a i(lialf portion of thedriven tractor axle showing a central means for operating one of thebrake band drums to and from operative position, and,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail showing the pedal means for operating thebrake band and clutch actuating rods.

Referring to the drawings, a conventional y form of tractor is shown andwhich includes a pair of driven tractor wheels 10 secured on the axlesections 11 and 12. A front steering Wheel 13 is provided which ismounted on an axle 14 suitably journaled as at 15, in the space vbetweenthe depending arin 16 .of a steering oke 17. A substantially rectangularmain frame 18 extends forwardly from a point at the rear of and mediallybetween the tractor wheels 10 to a point 1n advance of these latter andis pivotally supported on the turn table oil upper connectedt'portion ofthe steering yoke 17. rl`he steering yoke 17 is operated through themedium of a steerin `means, not shown, extended upwardly of t e steeringpost 19, and .actuated from the through the medium of a forwardlyextended connecting rod formed of twosections 2l .and 23, swivellyconnected together as'at 22. rlhe hand wheel 2O is secured on the freeend of the section 21 and immediately forward with respect to the hub ofthe hand wheel, the section 21 is journaled as at 24,

hand wheel 20,

in a bracket arm 25 extended vertically from the frame 18, and in amanner to support thehand wheel in proper and convenient position infront of the operators seat 26.

A spring arm 27 is carried by the frame 18, and is arranged to hold theseat 26 spaced above the rear end of the frame. The section 23 of theconnecting rod is Journaled in the upper end of a vertically disposedvdash board 28. The steering post 19 and dash board 28 are braced to themain frame by means of braces 30 and 29.

Arranged at opposite sides of the main frame 18 are side frames 31 and32. The side frame 31 consists of a right angular rear'portion 31', anda forwardly extending diagonal portion 31 and the forward end of thelatter is secured to one side of the frame inwardly of the forward endthereof, as at 33. The side frame 32 consists of a substantiallyrectangular rear portion 32 and a forwardly extending diagonal portion32 and the forward end of the portion 32 is secured at the other sidevof the main frame, inwardly -of the forward end, as at 33.

At the rear of the main frame 18, and at one side of the seat 26, isarranged a suitable step 34 whereby the operator may readily mount theframe for the operation of the tractor. l

'lhe power plant of the tractor and its accessories consists of anengine 34, a radiator 36, a cooling fan 37 driven by means of a belt 38from the engine' shaft, and a starting hand lever or crank 39. Theelements of the power plant are arranged in any suit-v tends between andis supported from the dash board 28 and the radiator 26.

Extending longitudinally between the side bars of the main frame 18 andin lend to end relation with respect to the fly-wheel housing 46, is ahousing 42 for the transmission and differential mechanisms. The housing42 is of unitary construction and is formed with a flared open endportion 43, provided with an outwardly projecting annular flange 44,forming a shoulder 45 closely abutting against the open end of thefly-wheel housin 46, of the crank casing 41.

he fly-wheel within the housing 46 is indicated at 47, and the end ofthe engine shaft supporting the fly-wheel 47 is indicated at 48.

Arranged on the free end of the engine shaft 48 and concentricallyWithin the outer face of the {ly-wheel 47, is a friction clutch element49, complemental to a fixed friction clutch element 50 carried on theadjacent end of a transmission shaft 51, and movable thereon into andout of engagement with the element 50, through the medium of a suitableactuating rod mechanism 50 leading to and operable from a foot pedal 52,which is arranged in suitable proximity to the operators seat 26, theconnection of the actuating mechanism with the clutch element 50 beingdesignated at 53.

The reduced intermediate ortion of the housing 52 is formed to provide acompartment 54, immediately adjacent the flared end 43, and through thiscompartment extends the transmission shaft 51 and which is provided witha bevelled gear 55, in mesh with a similar gear 56, carried on the innerend of a transmission shaft 57, disposed transversely and extendedoutwardly from one side of the housing through a journal 58. The freeend of the shaft 57 is journaled, as at 59, to the diagonally extendingportion 32 of the side frame 32. The outer end of the shaft 57 isprovided with a pulley 60, for power transmission purposes.

Immediately inwardly of the compartment 54, the housing 42, is formedwlth a second compartment 61, having mounted therein the forward andreverse mechanisms of the transmission and which consists of a slidinggear 62, mounted on the shaft 51. The gear 62 is adapted to be moved inmeshing relation with the gear 63, fixed on one end of a driven shaft67, for the forward drive of the tractor. The gear 62 is also adapted tomesh with the gear 64, and a counter shaft 65, the latter carries a gear66 permanently in mesh with the gear 63 on the driven shaft 67. The gear52 is controlled by means of an arm 68, to which is secured a rodsection 69, slidably mounted in the wall at one side of the compartment,and which in turn is connected at one end to an actuating rod 70 leadingto and connected with an operating hand lever 71. The Wall of thecompartment 61 is thickened, as at 72, to provide a seat for a springtension pawl 73, preferably of ball form and adapted for co operationwith a series of spaced semi-circular recesses 74 in the rod section 69,to'retain the sliding gear 62 and its operating means against acidentaldisplacement/from adjusted position. The driven shaft 51 is suitablyjournaled in the walls of the compartments 54 and 61, as at 75, 76 and77, respectively, While the counter shaft is suit* ably journaled in theopposed walls of the compartments 61, as at 78 and 79. Inwardly of thecompartment 61, the housing 42 is. formed with a third compartment 80,through which the shaft 67 extends, and the latter is journaled inbearings 81 and 82, mounted in the walls of the compartments 80 and thesaid bearings are preferably of the usual adjustable roller bearing typeinvolving the use of a wedging cone, indicated at 83. The peripheries ofthe flanges of the cones 83 are toothed as at 84, for the cooperationwith .a leaf cspring 85, so that the cones may be held againstaccidental movement after being adjusted. j

The rear end of the housing 42, is formed to provide an intermediatecompartment 86 and a pair of' oppositely disposed end compartments 87and 88 and extending concentrically of the end compartments and meetingin end to end relation medially of the intermediate compartment 86 arethe axle sections 11 and 12. The adjacent ends of the axle sections 11and 12 are connected together through the medium of the intermeshinggears of the differential mechanism. Each axle section 11 and 12 isjournaled intermediate its ends in roller bearings carried in suitablecircular journals which are indicated at 89 and 90 and supported inopenings in the divisional walls between the compartments.

The differential mechanism comprises a rotatable housing formed ofl twoparts 91 and 92, suitably secured together by bolts 98 and whichencloses the differential bevelled gears 94 and 95 secured on theadjacent ends of the axle sections 11 and 12. Bevelled pinions 96supported within the rotatable housing mesh the gears 94 and 95.

Power is transmitted to the differential mechanism through the medium ofa ring gear 97, formed with the part 91 of the rotatable housing, andwhich meshes with a pinion 98, carried on the end of the driveu shaft 67Formed integral with and projecting outwardly of the parts 91 and 92, ofthe rotatable housing, are sleeves 99 and 100, respectively, the outerends of which are reduced to receive thereon bearing rings 101 againstthe inclined faces of which contact small cylindrical bearings, whichare held in posilnneaa Fixe ly secured on the axle 4section 12, is.

a brake band drum 103, having a brake band te-xtended around the same,and

which is operable through the medium oi a suitable connection link orrod 105 leadin to and connected to a pedal shaft 106, whic shaft is tobe actuated. only by a brake pedal 107. 4

' 0n the axle section 11 1s slldably mounted a drum 108 having its innerhub end formed to provide a clutch face 109, complemental to a similarlyformed clutch face 110 formed on the free end .of the sleeve 99. xtendedaround the drum 108, is a brake band 11, which is actuated through themedium of the rod and link connections 111 of a brake pedal 112 looselymounted on the pedal shaft 106, immediately ad'acent to the bralre pedal107. 'llhe bralre pe al 107 is fastened to' the shaft 106 for theactuation thereof to op-d 'erat/e the bralre band 104. llt is to benoted that the pedal 52 is also loosely mounted on the shaft 106, so asnot .to adeet the latter, durin its movements with the operation ot thec utch 50.

For moving the clutch tace 109 on the drum 108, into and out ofengagement with the clutch tace 110 of the sleeve 99, an arm 113 is xedto the outer hub portion of the drum 108 and the same is engaged byashort rod section 114, slidably mounted 1n the bracket 115.

'llhe arm 118 is connected at'its outer end by means ci a link 116, toan operating rod 117 the latter extending rearwardly or the main trame18 to a vpoint adjacent to operators seat 26 and is provided at thispoint with a hand lever 118. rlPhe bracket 115 is formed with avertically extendin opening in which is seated a spring presse pawl 119,preferably of globular form, as

shown in Fig. 5, and which is adapted toengage in suitably spacedannular channels or recesses 120, formed in the short rod eeetion 11a,whereby to hold the drum clutch 109 in `either engaged or disengagedposition. As before stated the housing 42, in en eral, is of a singleunit construction, an to give accom to certain ot the several mechasnism compartments thereof, suitable clo sure plates or covers areprovided and in :this connection for the compartments t3, a -cover 121is employed, torthe compartment 86 a cover 122 is employed and which isalso used for closing the compartment 80, as the lcover 122 has anextension 123. Circular closures 1211 and 125 are provided tor thecompartments 87 and 88. The closures 12aL and 125 are integral with thehousing 126 and 127.

'llhe compartments 541, 61, 80 and 86 are thus fully enclosed with thecover plates 121,

122 and the extension 123, and these com pertinents may be lled withoil, a suitable opening normally closed by a screw cap 128 beingprovided for supplying oil to the compartment 54.

The compact arrangement of the ltransmission andv differentialmechanisms within a unitary housing provides for the proteotion of thesame a ainst unusual accidents and against injury rom exposure toweather conditions; that the integral or unitary lconstruction of thehousing admits the operation of all of the gears of the transmission anddiderential mechanisms in a bod of oil without any loss ot the latterfrom leakage such as occurs when a gear housing is made up of severalSections; that the arrangement of the removable cover plates or coverspermit quick assembling of the parts of a mechanism within the housing,rapid inspection of a particular mechanism and the removal and re air ofthe same without necessarily disturbing and removing the mechanisms intheir entirety, and also that the power transmission and diderentialmechanisms may be assembled in the housing before the same is 'placed'in position on the trame or chassis oli the tractor or vehicle.

Having thus full described the invention, what is -claime is 1. lin a.tractor, a motor, a housing comprising an integr-al body portionarranged below and projecting rearwardl from the motor and formed withintegra transverse and longitudinal partitions providing a series oropposed transverse compartments and a longitudinal compartment at eachside of the rear transverse compartment, a driven shaft operated fromsaid motor and journaled in the plurality of transverse partitions andextending through a 'series of transverse compartments, a clutchingdevice within one ot said transverse compartments removable coverelements for said body portion..

2.- lln a tractor, a motor, a housing comprising an integral'bodyportion arranged below and projecting rearwardly from the motor andformed with integral transverse and longitudinal partitions providing aseries ot opposed transverse compartments and a longitudinal compartmentat each side of the rear transverse compartment, a driven shaft operated:trom said motor and journaled in the plurality of transverse partilltil0 mechanism,

incase? tending through said devices and operat ively connecte to saiddifferential mechan nisms, and removable cover elements for said bodyportion, independent shifting means for said brake devices and couplingdevice, said shifting means operated from the rear end of the housing.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signa*- ture hereto.

WILLAM A. ARMSTRONG.

